Every patient who walks in with jaw or facial pain has a different picture. Some grind their teeth at night. Some have a jaw that locks, while others deal with pain that radiates through their face and head. Dr. Elona addresses each condition through its own lens because the cause is rarely the same from one patient to the next.
Jaw Pain
You feel it when you chew, yawn or even just talk. Sometimes it's a dull ache; sometimes it's sharp pressure near the joint. Jaw pain is one of the most common signals that the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is under strain. Left unaddressed, that strain tends to spread. Dr. Elona evaluates the joint, the surrounding muscles and your bite to pinpoint why the pain is happening and what will actually stop it.
Teeth Grinding and Bruxism
Teeth grinding (bruxism) often happens while you sleep, so many patients don't realize they're doing it until a partner mentions it or they notice their teeth wearing down. Stress is a common trigger, but the underlying mechanics of your bite and jaw position matter just as much. A standard night guard from the drugstore protects your teeth from further wear, but it doesn't treat the cause. Dr. Elona designs a personalized approach that addresses both your jaw position and the grinding pattern driving it.
Jaw Clicking and Popping
That clicking or popping sound when you open and close your mouth is your jaw joint telling you something is off. It usually means the disc inside the TMJ is moving in an irregular way. For some patients it's painless, but for others it comes with locking or limited range of motion. Either way, it warrants a proper evaluation before your situation progresses. Dr. Elona has treated jaw clicking as a standalone complaint and as part of a larger TMJ picture, and she will tell you honestly what the imaging and exam reveal.
TMJ Headaches
Headaches that originate from your jaw are among the most frequently misdiagnosed types of head pain. They often feel identical to tension headaches or migraines, which is why patients can spend years treating headaches without touching the actual source. When the muscles around your jaw and temples are overworked from grinding, clenching or bite imbalance, they refer pain upward. Addressing the jaw mechanics is what reduces or eliminates these headaches for most patients.
Orofacial Pain
Orofacial pain is a broader term for chronic or recurring pain in the face, jaw, mouth or neck that doesn't trace back to a simple dental problem like a cavity or infection. It can involve your nerves, joints, muscles or combinations of all three. Dr. Elona completed a specialty residency in orofacial pain, which means she trained specifically to diagnose and treat the conditions that other providers often struggle to explain. If you've been told your pain is "stress" or "nothing they can find," this is the right place to start.
